Happy Holidays: Thanksgiving Edition
by nekkidboothinc
Summary: In each other, Booth and Brennan find much to be thankful for this holiday season.  Third in the Happy Holidays series.
1. A Day at the Parade

**A/N: Who loves Thanksgiving? We love Thanksgiving! Especially the fun, flufftacular kind that makes your heart just want to burst with B/B goodness. Hopefully, you feel the same. And will read this. And review it. And we will be very, **_**very **_**thankful for the best readers a pair of crazy fanfic-writers could have. Love, Jamie and Kinsey aka Nekkid Booth Inc.**

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Being stuck in New York City on Thanksgiving Day was not Seeley Booth's idea of a good time. Being stuck in New York City on Thanksgiving Day _working_ was _certainly_ not Seeley Booth's idea of a good time. It would have been a totally different story if he'd had a reason to be there – maybe taking Parker to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or something. But no, stupid criminals and their stupid habit of crossing state lines so he had to go _fetch them_. Bastards. On the upside of things, if he had to be stuck in New York City on Thanksgiving Day, without Parker, fetching criminals, at least Bones was with him -- and she'd given in to his request to get up at 4am to line the streets to see the parade. Yeah, he'd had to listen to a litany of facts about the anthropological significance of parades, but she was there. Truth be told, he couldn't care less about the parade when he was looking at the beautiful woman standing next to him.

"Warm enough?" he asked with a smile.

Brennan motioned with the cup of hot coffee she held between her blue-striped-gloved hands. "Yes, thanks," she smiled.

He rubbed the hand that wasn't occupied with his own coffee cup briskly up and down the sleeve of her black pea coat, earning a gentle smile from her. "Sure?" he asked.

"Booth!" she laughed. "I'm warm enough. I'm dead on my feet from the mere three hours of sleep you allowed me, and I'm _starving_, but I'm plenty warm," she teased.

Seeley laughed as he briefly dropped an arm over her shoulders. He liked their relationship like this. After the steamy encounter at the Halloween party, he'd been worried that their relationship would suffer some sort of awkwardness like it had after Angela and Jack's wedding-that-wasn't, but his fears had been firmly put to rest. They'd spent time hanging out like they used to; running over case files and bouncing ideas off of one another, watching football games (the most important being his Steelers kicking the crap out of her Ravens), and eating take out. Granted there was always this underlying _thing_ that neither of them talked about, but he wouldn't trade it for the world. Well… maybe he _would_ trade it, but the only thing better would be the chance to be wrapped in her sweet embrace again. And they'd decided that couldn't happen. But if he could find a way around that decision…

Before his thoughts could take a turn for the lecherous, her voice broke through. "Did you know that the parade took a break from 1942 to 1944 so the rubber from the balloons could be used for the war effort?" she asked.

He smiled, knowing he was prepared to one-up her. He'd done his research. "Yes, but did _you _know that when it returned in 1945, it was televised for the first time?" he asked.

She smiled at him again, a sight that never failed to make his blood run a little hotter through his veins, no matter how innocently the smile had been intended. "You've done your research, Booth."

"I have," he responded semi-smugly.

"So tell me, Booth. Since you know so much about the Macy's Parade…"

"Yes, Bones?"

"Why in the hell are we the only ones out here?"

Seeley blushed slightly, glancing around at the nearly empty streets. "Well, usually people don't start showing up until six or six-thirty, but I wanted to make sure we got a good spot."

"Booth! You made me get up at _four in the morning_!" Brennan shouted.

"What?! Come on, Bones, you're gonna love this. I can't believe you've never been to the Macy's parade! You need a good spot for your inaugural viewing! I'm doing this all for _you_," he said, tapping the end of her pink nose with his index finger.

"Fine, fine," she grumbled. "I'm taking a nap. Wake me when the Snoopy and Kermit balloons come by." She tossed her empty cup into a nearby garbage can and then proceeded to surprise the hell out of him: she stepped in front of him so she was facing him and rested her head against his chest. He couldn't help but gasp slightly in surprise, but only let his shock slow him down for a moment. He tossed his own cup and wrapped his arms gently around her waist, letting her snuggle into him for warmth.

"I thought you were warm enough," he teased.

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It hadn't even occurred to Temperance Brennan that the week was special. Maybe she had heard people mentioning around the office their holiday plans, but she largely ignored it, as deeply immersed as she was in the piles of bones that were perpetually in front of her. But she couldn't help but notice Booth's gloominess while they cruised north towards the city. Usually he was pumped to catch a suspect, but during this trip he seemed noticeably deflated. But she didn't make the connection until the hotel room trouble. They went from one hotel to another, trying to find one that had two rooms available for them. By the fourth try, she was frustrated. "New York is a big tourist city, lots of hotel rooms. Why is it so hard to find two?"

Booth looked at her like she had grown a couple other heads. "Why do ya think, Bones? The parade is tomorrow. Families come from all over the country to watch."

And then it hit her. _Thanksgiving. _Families. Booth. Of course he was upset…he was supposed to be spending Thanksgiving with his folks in Pennsylvania. And with his son. And now he was here. Working. With her. She had felt a pang of guilt strum through her body at that realization, and it must have crossed her face.

"Cheer up," he told her, his tired face softening. "We'll find a place. And maybe if we're lucky we'll get this wrapped up fast and be able to leave tomorrow, before all the festivities start and it gets ridiculous out there."

But of course, it didn't get wrapped up fast. And by the time they made it back to their hard-earned hotel rooms, both of them knew that there was no way they were getting out of New York anytime soon…they still needed to do loads of documentation and get things settled here before they could even dream of D.C. again. And she was so focused on the case and the criminal and (just a little) her guilt at being here instead of Booth's family, who he surely _really _wanted with him right now, that his visit to her room and suggestion that they go to the parade the next morning came as a total surprise. But, she had given into him fairly easily. Which, most likely, had to do with that guilt. And, (again, just a little), with that sweet smile he gave her while he implored her to _please, _just let's make the most of this trip. Damn him.

When she stumbled out of bed at 4 in the morning, she had been ready to regret the decision. When they stepped outside and she felt the chill biting into the exposed parts of her face, she was _really _ready. But as they stood in their staked-out spot, teasing, one-upping each other with their knowledge of the history of parades (and this parade in particular), and gulping down their energy for the morning in the form of coffee, regret was the last thing she was feeling. When he asked her if she was warm enough and she nodded immediately, her face tinged a pinker shade than the cold at her first thought: _"_You _make me feel warm." _For a much more logical explanation, she gestured to her coffee cup.

But he had put his arm around her anyway, and for a moment, despite her sleepiness, she felt a surge of something that felt like excitement. For the parade, of course…she was going to have the opportunity to observe an important American cultural phenomenon up close. That had to be the cause for the endorphins suddenly flooding her system. A little disoriented from her thoughts, she slipped away from him after a moment, not wanting either of them to find the contact awkward, and she teased him some more, about bringing her out here in the freezing cold at ungodly hours of the morning to a nearly-empty city sidewalk. And when, feigning offense, he told her that all the inconveniences were carried out _for her, _she knew he was kidding. But still…he should be with his family right now, warm in his childhood bed, getting ready for the Thanksgiving dinner of his dreams, followed by a marathon football-watching session with his dad, his brother, and his son.

She may have been wrong, attributing regret and sadness to him right then. After all, he was smiling at her, having fun with her. But her guilt gave her enough of an internal excuse to mumble something about needing a nap, and then snuggling herself deep in his arms, smiling in satisfaction against the wool of his collar when she felt his sigh and his arms entwining behind her back. Maybe she was comforting him. Maybe she was wanting him to comfort _her. _Or maybe, they were just stealing a moment, allowing this unordinary place and circumstance to again let them enjoy the pleasure of these cautious, too-rare embraces that seemed to make the world stop.

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Seeley enjoyed a momentary thought of letting Brennan fall asleep and whisking her off to bed. Screw the parade, he didn't want to see it that badly anyhow. But then his conscience spoke up, and mentioned that perhaps that wouldn't be as well received as he might anticipate. Dammit anyhow. He tried to hold Brennan as best he could while keeping his lower half away from her. He was a man, after all, and his partner all snuggled up in his embrace was having some less-than-Catholic affects on his body. He glanced down at his watch. Shit. Only six? How in the hell was he going to stand here for another three frickin' hours until the parade started?

"This is nice," Brennan commented softly as she wrapped her arms around his waist under his coat. Booth mentally sent a question Heavenward. _"God? It's Seeley. DO YOU HATE ME, OR WHAT?!"_

Steelers stats, Booth. Think touchdowns. Yardage. Turnovers. PAT kicks. Punts. Two-point conversions. Superbowl trips. ANYTHING. Just _don't_ think about how much you agree with her.

Instead of all that, the only thing running through his mind (like it was on a God damn scrolling marquee, no less) was _"yes, it is." _He decided to give in, simply because to ignore her comment would just be rude. "Mmm," he hummed, giving her a gentle squeeze.

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"_What is happening to us?" _she wondered, the part of her that was still cautious sending up flares, while the part of her that really didn't give a damn about the answer to that question put a damper on them.

"_Who cares?" _the latter part of her said lazily, luxuriating in this closeness and causing her to press against him a little closer. That part was making a lot of sense.

"_This is NOT partner-like behavior," _the cautious side of her scolded, trying to alarm her into ending the embrace. She frowned and shifted slightly.

"_But no one here knows you are partners…you are just two more faces in the crowd. And you are cold and sleepy, and once you get back to your hotel rooms, there will be no more excuse to be close like this. So enjoy it, Tempe. _That voice…the I-don't-care one…was saying ridiculous things, but in a voice so logical that she felt she had to obey it. So she slipped her hands underneath his jacket and felt the warmth radiating off of him. God, this was nice.

And oh, _shit, _she had said it aloud. She _must _be tired. He didn't respond right away, and the cautious part of her shrieked _"SEE!!?? Now you've gone too far and probably made him uncomfortable. Really intelligent, Tempe. Pull away now while you still have your dignity."_

But at that moment, he squeezed her tighter, murmuring his agreement, and her cautious side was momentarily thrown by the rush of heat that flowed straight into her belly. And the I-don't-care side was suddenly the slickest snake-oil salesman in town, compromising: _"Just sleep. Sleep, and everything will be okay…it's perfectly normal to lean on him like this if you are sleeping. Just close your eyes, and there is nothing strange about this…"_

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Seeley had lost track of how much time he and Bones had been standing on the street waiting for the other parade-watchers to start showing up. Seconds had turned to minutes, and minutes had turned to hours, the entire time he hadn't been able to do anything but stand with his arms wrapped around her waist, occasionally rubbing his hands up and down her back in soothing patterns. Somewhere in there she'd fallen asleep and was breathing slowly and deeply. How she managed to stay standing boggled his mind. His feet were already getting tired, but he knew he'd be able to stand here until the end of time if need be.

A sweet voice tore him from his musings, "First trip to the parade?"

Seeley turned to the elderly woman who'd spoken the words. "Not for me. I grew up in Pittsburgh. But she's never been," he said softly, as not to wake the forensic anthropologist in his arms.

"Stella Rossi," the woman introduced herself.

Seeley reached out his gloved hand to shake hers. "Seeley Booth."

"Where'd your wife grow up?" the woman asked, motioning to Brennan.

"She's not my – her family moved around a lot," Seeley supplied. He wasn't sure what had prompted him to change his reply midstream, he and Bones were both usually so quick to inform people of their "strictly business" relationship. What had possessed him to abandon his usual reply of "we're just partners?" He shook the thought loose from his head, attempting to maintain a normal level of polite conversation with the woman. "How about yourself?" he asked with a smile.

"I grew up here in the city. My parents immigrated to the United States from Italy when I was a very small girl. We came to the very first parade in 1924, and I haven't missed a year since. It's a family tradition," she smiled, motioning to a man who Seeley assumed was her husband. Next to him were two boys Seeley figured to be a little older than him. "Dan!" she called, catching the older man's attention.

The man walked over, sliding an arm around the woman's waist. "This is my husband, Dante Rossi. Dan, this is Seeley Booth, and his wife…"

"Temperance," Booth supplied, shaking the hand the older man offered.

"Nice to meet you, Seeley. I hope my Stella hasn't been the one to put your lovely wife to sleep," Dante teased.

"Oh, you," Stella smiled, elbowing her husband gently.

Seeley smiled. "Not at all. I made her roll out at four this morning. I was just telling Stella that Tempe hasn't ever been to the parade, so we wanted to be sure to get a good spot."

"Ah. Well, the parade should be here soon, better make sure she's awake for it. Very nice to meet you, Seeley."

Dante nodded his agreement to the words Stella had spoken and led her back to their family.

"Bones," Seeley whispered. He rubbed his hands gently over her back and kissed the top of her head. "Wake up, sleepyhead."

Brennan stirred in his arms, glancing up at him through sleep-clouded eyes with a gentle smile.

"Good morning, beautiful," Seeley whispered. At her blush, he wondered if he should have held the words back.

When she replied "morning," in a husky half-whisper, his momentary regret fled. "Parade should be starting soon," he said.

She nodded slowly, extracting herself from his embrace to stand by his side instead. Her actions may have set him on edge again, had it not been for the gentle way she laced her gloved fingers through his and gave his hand a slight squeeze.

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Brennan hadn't really expected to be able to fall asleep…who could sleep standing up?...but as she leaned into her partner, cocooned by the warmth and lulled by the faint but steady pumping of his heart through his jacket, she drifted off to someplace halfway between consciousness and sleep, hearing the increasing bustle around them but not really processing any of it. Her bickering inner voices had largely quieted down for now, her cautious side grudgingly admitting that there were worse things in the world than, just for one day, allowing a little emotional and physical intimacy between herself and someone who she very much liked and trusted. It wasn't like she was having sex with him. They both knew where the line was between them, and while they might be teetering dangerously on the edge of it right now, they had not yet tipped over. Besides, by the way he was squeezing her, it felt like Booth might be needing this as much as she did today. Time passed. In her moments of lucidity, it occurred to her that she wouldn't be terribly disappointed if the parade never began.

She barely heard the voice asking if it was their first time to the parade, so lost was she in her half-sleep. But when Booth spoke, the vibrations in his chest against her ear pulled her a little closer to wakefulness, although she kept her eyes shut. If she woke up completely, she'd be expected to pull away from him. She felt herself being shifted slightly while her partner apparently shook someone's hand. Go away, strangers. Couldn't they see that the man was busy?

"Where'd your wife grow up?" the unfamiliar voice asked.

Wife? Maybe the stranger had found someone new to bother.

"She's not my – her family moved around a lot," she heard her partner reply, and her thoughts swam confusedly for a moment, realizing the stranger was indeed still talking to them. Booth wasn't _married. _Why was he answering this stranger's questions as if he was? And it didn't gel in her mind until his 'wife' made a second appearance.

"This is my husband, Dante Rossi. Dan, this is Seeley Booth, and his wife…"

"Temperance." She heard and felt her given name leaving Booth's lips, the sound of it silken against her ear. And then it clicked. _She _was the wife.

Her cautious side was up in arms in a flash. _"Now you're MARRIED??? You hug the man at a parade, and suddenly he has you being part of an archaic institution that you don't even believe in? That's it, Tempe. You 'wake up' right now and stop this foolishness. Living in this fantasy world isn't helpful to anyone. You just need to…"_

"_Shut up." _Apparently, her I-don't-care side was done playing ball. _"This isn't hurting anyone. Now stop talking us out of something that feels good and do something useful with yourself. Like play in traffic."_

Ms. (Mrs.?) Cautious wasn't used to being talked back to, and was seemingly shocked into silence. Relieved, Brennan again relaxed, breathing rhythmically, inhaling the scent of the cologne she liked so much until the voices again blurred together, and the next thing she felt was Booth's voice whispering her name and moving his hands across her back, waking her slowly. All good things had to come to an end eventually, she conceded regretfully.

"Good morning, beautiful," he told her, and this time she was awake enough to know that he wasn't talking to anybody else. The blood that had been circulating warmly and thoroughly throughout her body now rushed to her face. How could he do that? She had had sex with the man and she had (Sort of. Kind of. Not really) gotten over that. But he called her beautiful and all of a sudden she was practically speechless.

"Morning," she mumbled back, and pulled away from him a bit guiltily. She had taken too many liberties in his arms today, she knew that. But what was done was done. Catching him look at her with a little bit of concern in his eyes, she could read his flash of fear; having let her guard down a bit, would this be the moment when she ran away from him? To reassure him, she quickly reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. Whatever else she was, Temperance Brennan wasn't a coward. And she wasn't going to let her friend down today.

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As Santa Claus's float drove out of sight, Booth glanced at Brennan. "So. Whaddya think, Bones?"

"It was…"

"Anthropologically…" Booth interrupted.

"I was going to say 'great,' Booth. It was an amazing experience. I loved it. Thank you," she smiled, almost shyly.

"You're welcome," he smiled back, dropping an arm over her shoulders.

"Seeley! Temperance!" Booth's stomach dropped to his feet when he heard Stella Rossi's voice. _Please, God. If you care about me at all, don't let Bones figure out I let this woman think we're married._

"Stella," he said with what he hoped was an enthusiastic smile. "Bones, this is Stella Rossi. We were visiting while you were napping."

"Nice to meet you, Stella," Brennan smiled politely.

"You too, dear. What did you think of the parade? Seeley tells me it was your first one."

"It was great," Brennan answered.

"I'm so glad you enjoyed it," Stella smiled brightly. "I hate to sound presumptuous, but if the two of you don't have plans today, we'd love to have you join us for dinner."

Booth blushed and began stammering, but only for a moment until Brennan spoke up.

"Thank you for the invitation, Stella, but my husband and I _do_ actually have plans."

Booth had been mistaken. His stomach had only dropped to his knees before. Now, _now_ it was at his feet.

Stella smiled politely. "Well it was very nice to meet you both," she said.

"You too," Brennan replied, tugging on Seeley's hand to prompt him to speak.

"Yes. Nice to meet you, Stella," he said, waving to Dante, a few feet behind his wife.

As the elderly couple retreated into the crowd, Seeley let his head hang. "You were awake," he stated.

"Well, honestly, Booth," Brennan teased. "Who can sleep standing up?"

"I hope I didn't… I mean… I…"

"Seeley," Brennan murmured, tugging on his hand. "Don't worry about it. Now I think you owe me breakfast, _husband._"

Booth laughed and tightened his grip on her hand. "I think you're probably right, _wife_. Let's go see what we can find."

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**A/N: Stay tuned for more of B/B's Thanksgiving adventure, and start getting revved up for what we have in store for Christmas! You can only imagine...We lurve you madly! Thanks for reading!**


	2. A Walk in the Park

**A/N: You guys… Sigh. We love you. Hopelessly, helplessly.**

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"That was really good, Booth," Bones complimented. "How do you always find the best places?"

Seeley shrugged nonchalantly and grinned, even though his chest swelled with pride at his greasy-spoon-choosing abilities. "I like to eat. Pays to know where the best places are."

"Well. That was definitely the biggest and best plate of French toast I've ever had."

"Glad you enjoyed it, Bones," he replied. Truth be told, he'd enjoyed the hell out of watching her eat. The woman didn't half-ass anything she did, and inhaling that plate of French toast had been no exception. And the little noises she made when she ate? And how her eyes drifted shut when the sweet syrup hit her tongue? Suffice to say Booth was glad he wasn't going to have to get up from the table for a long time. And damn if the memories from Halloween didn't just keep flooding back…his mystery woman. _Bones._

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Seeley asked the question abruptly, hoping that maybe he'd get lucky and Bones wouldn't want this day to end either.

"Sure," she smiled at him again, that same gentle smile that somehow got his heart pounding.

"Let's see, I think we can cut across here and get to the park," Booth laced his fingers through hers and started across the wide city street, secretly glad for the excuse to hold her hand. Was it just him that felt like they were _both_ coming up with several good excuses to be touchy-feely today?

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There was a whole pile of paperwork to be done back at their hotel rooms. Typically that would have been on Brennan's mind, nagging at her. She didn't like to leave things undone, incomplete. But even though it was a mere few blocks away, it suddenly seemed to be the easiest thing to push from her consciousness. There was just so much to explore here…And when he asked her to take a walk, she greedily accepted that offer, eager to soak up every last part of this day.

He took her hand as they crossed the street, and the gesture felt strangely natural. She was getting used to this. Should she be getting used to this?

They walked silently for a few minutes, taking in the surroundings around them, the green in the midst of turning to a crisp orange and red. "It's hard to believe that we are in the middle of the city right now, isn't it? If you just dropped someone here in Central Park, without telling them they were in the largest city in the United States, they would have no context at all to make that determination. They'd have no idea that it was so different than what it seemed."

Booth looked over at her, smiling. "Think people who live in the city need that sometimes…to be reminded that there's a whole different world out there…an open one, a green one, one where people aren't so crowded and so busy."

She was thoughtful for a minute. What came out of her mouth next she wasn't even sure _she _completely understood. "I think people are usually surprised to find out _we_ are a city. And not a park."

When he didn't respond right away, she glanced up at him. "Why, Bones. That was a very…abstract metaphor. For you." She shrugged, not entirely sure what to tell him. To her immense surprise, his next words suggested that he actually got whatever the hell she was trying to say.

"That's because…we probably kinda look like a park. From the outside. Especially today."

Brennan considered this. "I…I really enjoy the city though. That's where important things happen. That's where work gets done, and progress is made. And everything is always moving. That's important." She felt…not tense, but on alert. Waiting to change the subject if there was even a slight chance that her metaphor was caving in on her.

"Yes," he agreed, and she was relieved. And then he spoke again, softly. "But the park…wow. Look at it, Bones."

She gazed around. It was, without a doubt, beautiful. She tugged her coat around her just a little tighter. "It's okay…that we're here today. Don't you think? We should be okay." For some reason, she very much needed his reassurance right now. And, as always, he gave it to her.

"The city's not going anywhere, Temperance." The hand that was clasping hers now let go and slid around her waist, and he smiled at her.

"Thanks, Booth," she said softly, and returned the gesture. And they continued walking through the park, right now, feeling very much in their element.

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They were a city? And not a park? What the hell was she talking about? He usually had a little trouble interpreting squint-speak in the lab, but this was a new one. And then it dawned on him: their relationship. Their partnership was the city. Their… well, whatever Stella and Dante Rossi thought they were; that was the park. Suddenly it made sense to him, and he told her so. Of course he couldn't do that without teasing her a little. Just because he so loved the smile and the slight blush that would grace her cheeks.

"Why, Bones. That was a very…abstract metaphor. For you." She shrugged and he wanted to respond, but he knew he'd have to think for a minute to make sure he didn't stumble over his words. He explained to her, as best he could, that the way they acted around each other, it was pretty easy to see why people could get the wrong idea.

To which she responded that she really liked the city. Felt it was important. He was getting the distinct vibe that she was trying to tell him that while maybe it was okay that their relationship was sort of evolving into new territory, she really wanted to be able to hang out in the city. Not spend all of her time in the park. And hell, that was fine with him. As long as he got to spend time with her. And as long as he could convince her to leave the city and spend a _little_ time in the park every once in awhile.

She asked him if he thought it was okay that they were "here" today. The word "here" even in itself was chock-full of meaning and innuendo in his mind. On the surface, "here" was wandering through Central Park when they both knew they had piles and piles of paperwork back in their respective hotel rooms that needed to be completed before they could head back to DC. But under the surface… here was just _them_; Seeley Booth taking his beautiful wife Temperance to New York City for her first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and then wandering around the park hand-in-hand.

He dropped her hand and slid his arm around her waist, drawing her to him, giving her the reassurance he knew she needed. "The city's not going anywhere, Temperance."

She thanked him and agreed with him in what he had recently realized was his favorite way: flashing him a brilliant smile.

The pair talked and wandered, wandered and talked for the better part of the afternoon, until Seeley noticed how dusky it was getting. He glanced at his watch and let out a low whistle. "Already a quarter to six, Bones. Ready for the last tradition of Turkey Day?"

Bones glanced up at him, like she was afraid the tradition was "take your fake wife back to the hotel room and ravish her." Which, to be fair, was certainly _not _the farthest thing from his mind. "What is it?" she asked.

Seeley let out a chuckle. "Relax, Bones. Just ordering pizza and watching a movie. You look nervous."

"I don't know, Booth. We have a lot of mumphermumph," Booth cut her off with a hand over her mouth.

"Don't say paperwork. Movie. We have a movie to watch, and pizza to eat." At the slight hesitation in her eyes, he wheedled, "I'll even let you get veggie pizza, Bones. C'mon. You know I'm a pepperoni guy." Still the hesitation was in her eyes. "Cmooooon, Bones. Who can resist a gooey slice of New York style pizza?"

"Fine," she acquiesced. "Pizza. And _one_ movie. And I get to pick it."

"It's not going to be _Gorillas in the Mist_ or something, is it?" Booth eyed her suspiciously.

She sighed heavily. "Do you really think I have that bad of taste, Booth?"

He laughed half at her and half in relief. "No, I don't, Bones." And then, from somewhere, came the last words he would have expected himself to speak. "Actually, as I recall," he paused and lowered his head so he was nearly whispering in her ear. "You taste quite good."

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It was completely inappropriate. And it was something that he had said he wouldn't do—make mention of what had happened between one cowboy and his sex kitten on a surreal Halloween evening not so long ago. And the reason he wasn't supposed to mention it was because of the exact reaction that it elicited from her: discomfort. Discomfort in a shivering, heart-pounding, rush-of-heat kind of way. For the second time that day—damn him. Here she was, doing her best to keep things on safe ground with her talk of cities and parks, and then he had to go and bring up the fact that one time, in a place far away, he had had his mouth on her. And it had been _so damn good. _

Her head tilted up and her eyes met his, and they lingered together there for several seconds. In his, like always, she read unspoken truths. And it was practically too much to bear.

So she tugged at his hand. "Come on," she whispered, pulling him back east, in the direction of the hotel. And they made the rest of the journey in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

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_Shit. Shit, shit, shit. You are a moron, Seeley. There is a special place in hell for guys like you, my friend. Telling her how good she tastes? Seriously? After you decide (YOU! YOU DECIDED!) to never speak of the incident again? I mean seriously, man, you can think about it, have your little fantasies, whatever. But you promised her you wouldn't bring it up. Asshole. _

Seeley quieted his mouthy conscience as best he could and followed Bones back to the hotel, wondering how he'd gotten lucky enough to be allowed to still hold her hand (and keep his balls intact). As he trailed a few inches behind her, he mentally promised himself that he'd follow her lead for the remainder of their time in New York. Because if he didn't, she probably _would_ end up emasculating him.

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When they returned to the hotel lobby, he looked at her questioningly, waiting to take her cue. She gave him a small push in the direction of the elevator. "Go put on something comfortable then come to my room. I'll get the movie ready and order the pizza." She wasn't entirely sure when she began running this show (she wasn't the expert in Thanksgiving traditions, after all), but she sensed in him the need to follow her right now, wherever she would take him.

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_Breathe, Seeley. Jesus Christ. It's not like you've never watched a movie with a woman. You're getting about half-stupid over her. It's just Bones._..

Yeah, but… it's _Bones_. If I fuck this up, I might as well plan on workin' with Addy for the rest of my days.

Seeley continued his internal debate as he changed into gray sweats and a faded black Def Leppard tee shirt. Shoving his fingers through his hair, he grabbed his cell phone and his plastic key card off the nightstand and clicked off the lamp.

With a single backward glance to the dark room as he pulled the door shut, he gave himself one last command: _Don't fuck this up._

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Up in her hotel room, Brennan changed to her sweatpants and zip-up sweatshirt, sighing in relief at the warm comfort of the ensemble. While she ordered the pizza, she flipped through the pay-per-view movies until she found the perfect choice. Perfect, providing that Booth wouldn't make fun of her for it. He came to her door right after the pizza did. And, she noted in relief, he was dressed pretty much like she was.

"Nice outfit," he teased, giving her a smile as he came in and nearly immediately attacked the pizza.

"Yours, too. Personally, I think we've never looked better." She might have been able to manage more of a laugh if it hadn't been at least partially true. Booth made a good cowboy. Somehow, he looked nearly as good with his sweatpants slung low on his hips, and his t-shirt emphasizing his chest and arms. It really wasn't fair.

"So what are we watching?" he asked, his mouth half-full while his partner flopped on the couch in front of the TV, cuing something up w/the remote. The opening credits started playing. He looked at her in amazement. "_The Replacements, _Bones? Seriously? I would have never, ever pegged you as a Keanu Reeves fan. Not for one second." He sat beside her, pulling the pizza box over with them.

"I'm not," she said indignantly. "I just…like the story. Triumph over adversity. The underdogs save the day. And besides…"

"Yes?" He drew out the word, teasing her.

"I just kind of like football movies," she mumbled. He laughed. Of course she did. Because just when he thought he knew what she would do in a certain situation, she surprised the hell out of him and did the opposite.

She blushed a bit and gave him a look. "What?"

"Nothing, Bones. It's…it's a good choice. Now watch."

They did for awhile, finishing half of the pizza. The food distracted them for awhile, and when they were done eating, she couldn't help but notice her partner looked a little restless, fidgeting a bit on the couch beside her.

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God, he wanted to kiss her. Bad. He'd seen _The Replacements _enough times that he knew if she asked him a question or tried to make conversation about the movie, he'd be able to hold his own. Which worked out well, because it afforded him the opportunity to sneak glances at her more often than not during the movie. He shifted on the couch, trying to get comfortable. Maybe looking at her wasn't a good idea. Maybe he should focus a little more on the movie. He shifted once more, but apparently that was just too distracting to her. When he looked at her again, he felt like her blue eyes were staring straight through him.

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"Long day, huh?" she said empathetically. He gave her a quick smile. "Tired?"

"No…at least I don't want to be." She chuckled a little at that. "So…what are you thankful for, Bones?"

She hadn't been expecting the question. "Oh. Um. Hmm. I'd have to think about it." Pausing, she considered. "You go first."

"Well, that's not fair." She raised her eyebrows. "But okay. I'm thankful for…Parker, and the time we got to spend together this year. _And you._ I'm thankful for mostly staying safe on the job this year, and how successful we've been. _And you._ Thankful for the rest of my family, and friends." _Especially you._ He thought for a few seconds longer, and she gave him that time. "I'm thankful for Steelers wins._ And you._ And for beer." _And of course (have I mentioned this?) you._ They chuckled lightly at that, together, before his smile faded. "And…I'm thankful for today. And for the fact that you haven't kicked me out yet." She looked at him meaningfully. "Okay," he said finally, after the moment had passed. "Your turn."

"Okay," she responded slowly, knowing exactly what she wanted to say, but not quite having the courage. "I'm thankful for…my dad and my brother coming back into my life. _And you._ And for being able to put my mother to rest. _And you._ For my work, and all the amazing places it's taken me, and the opportunities it's given me._ To be with you._ For Angela, and Zack, and Hodgins…my team. _Especially my FBI agent._ I'm thankful for the advances in technology which have made it easier to identify people based on their remains." There were so many things, when she really took the time to think about it. But she summed it up succinctly. "And I'm thankful for holidays." _Because so far, in some way, I've gotten to spend the last three with you._

His tired eyes captured hers. "Me too, Bones. Me too," he said softly. And their quiet moment of togetherness was maintained, then, as eventually they turned back to the movie. After awhile, their fatigue got the best of them.

The last thing she remembered thinking before falling asleep—really and truly, this time--was how easily she had become used to sleeping on his shoulder.

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Seeley drifted in and out of consciousness. He was aware (barely) of the elements of the room, the TV, the hum from the mini-fridge, the soft glow from the nightlight in the bathroom. He was mostly aware of the beautiful woman curled up against his side and definitely aware of how good it felt to have her there.

He woke again when the first strains of daylight were coming in through the annoying crack in the drapes. Bones was still sleeping, breathing deeply and evenly. If he could only do one thing for the rest of his life (and for some reason wasn't allowed his obvious choice) a very close second would be watching her sleep. He knew it was cheesy, and he'd deny it if anyone caught wind for some reason, but _God_ she was beautiful. And when she was silent, peaceful, and snuggled against his side? He was hard pressed to think of another woman as gorgeous as Dr. Temperance Brennan, world-renowned anthropologist. Her eyelids fluttered open, then closed again, then open groggily. Letting his thoughts come to the surface he greeted her. "Good morning, beautiful."

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Light. Too much light. And faint sounds from the city street. And, the humming from the turned-on TV, with the pay-per-view movie long over. Her eyes fluttered open, reluctantly, and she looked upwards through her eyelashes at the man she had been sleeping on.

"Good morning, beautiful," her partner whispered. She smiled faintly, then frowned. He looked troubled. "What wrong?"

She wasn't entirely sure. "The holiday," she said, regretfully. "It's over."

"There will always be more."

"You know what? I'm glad for that." She was quiet for a second. "I thought of one more thing last night that I'm thankful for. Do I have to wait until next Thanksgiving to say it?"

"Please don't."

A rush of boldness went through her. One that she hadn't felt since….well…since one cold October night not so long ago. She tilted her head up towards him. Her lips parted a little. "Booth," she breathed.

"Yeah," he replied just as quietly.

"No. That's it. What I'm thankful for." There, she had said it. And the trembling fear she felt upon the words leaving her lips was replaced in a second with a trembling desire as his mouth descended on hers, softly, caressing her.

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He had to do it. The compliment she'd given him, that she was thankful, thankful for _him_ – it had pushed him over the edge. The edge of reason. Would he kiss her? Would he not? He'd vowed to follow her lead and he hoped like hell that she was leading him to kiss her. Because with his lips millimeters from hers; there was no way in hell he was going to back out.

When his mouth touched hers, he felt like his body was going to short-circuit. This, this was how it was supposed to be with them. It didn't matter to him if they were in the city, or taking a walk in the park, as long as he was with her, he was happy.

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It was nothing like Halloween, but it was a thousand times sweeter. She was warm and content and safe. Soon, the warmth turned to heat, and the heat made her head swim with a rush of thoughts and feelings that had been long repressed. With that kiss, she was awake.

And wondering if maybe, a walk in the park now and then might not be such a bad thing.

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**A/N: Have a wonderful holiday, everyone. **


End file.
